St. Peter's By-the-Sea Episcopal Church
Gulfport, Mississippi

A Celebration of the Holy Eucharist 
Rite Two:  10:30 A.M.
Second Sunday of Easter
April 11, 2021

Prelude                               

Processional

The Word of God

Opening Acclamation                                                     Prayer Book 355

The people standing, the Celebrant says

Alleluia. Christ is risen.

People The Lord is risen indeed.  Alleluia.

Celebrant:  Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid:  Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of our Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Spoken together                                                              

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father

we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.  Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us;

you are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The Collect of the Day:

The Celebrant says to the people

The Lord be with you.

People And also with you.

Celebrant Let us pray.

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread:  Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  .  Amen.

The Congregation is seated.  All readings of Holy Scripture are found in the insert.

The Lessons

The First Lesson 

Acts 3:12-19

Psalm 4

The Holy Gospel

Luke 24:36b-48
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

People Glory to you, Lord Christ

Jesus himself stood among the disciples and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

After the Gospel, the Reader says

The Gospel of the Lord.

People Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon
The Rev. Patrick Sanders

The Nicene Creed
Prayer Book 358

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Prayers of the People                                                                

The Leader and the People pray responsively

Presider:  Gracious and Loving God, Christ’s peace penetrates our startled and terrified hearts: Open our minds to understand the scriptures and to know ourselves as your beloved children, for we pray, saying:  Know that God does wonders for the faithful; when we call, God will hear us.

Litanist:  You have called your Church to be witnesses of the resurrection and to proclaim in your name repentance and forgiveness of sins:  Lift up you countenance upon us, O God, that we may see and touch the presence of the Risen One.   Know that God does wonders for the faithful; when we call, God will hear us.

Though the nations of the earth act in ignorance and reject the call of the Holy and Righteous One, fulfill what you have foretold through all the prophets, that we might see better times.  Know that God does wonders for the faithful; when we call, God will hear us.

We praise our Wounded Healer Christ, who suffered, and rose from the dead on the third day, that your divine re-creative power may be at work throughout the world to confront injustice, disease, poverty and sadness.  Know that God does wonders for the faithful; when we call, God will hear us.

Answer the people of this community, Defender of our cause, and set us free when we are hard-pressed, that we may dwell in safety until the day when we will see you as you are.  Know that God does wonders for the faithful; when we call, God will hear us.

Hear our prayers for all for whom we intercede, especially those we now mention aloud or in the silence of our hearts (pause); all those serving our country at home and abroad; and those on our prayer list.  We celebrate the goodness of your blessings among us, especially for those celebrating birthdays Will, Julie, Lonnie, Karen, Earline and April.  We remember all who have died, that they may be revealed to be like you, O God, in the resurrection life of Christ, especially those we now remember aloud or in the silence of our hearts (pause).  Know that God does wonders for the faithful; when we call, God will hear us.

Presider:  O God of our ancestors, you have glorified your servant Jesus:  Fill our wondering hearts with your joy and love, that we may live faithfully and be righteous as he is righteous, living in your life-giving Spirit, through Christ our Savior.  Amen.

The Peace

Celebrant: The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People: And also with you.

The Ministers and People greet one another in the name of the Lord.

Announcements

Oblations brought forward (congregation stands)

Offertory                                                                    

The Holy Communion

The Great Thanksgiving

Eucharistic Prayer A
Prayer Book 361

The Lord be with you.

People And also with you.

Celebrant Lift up your hearts.

People We lift them to the Lord.

Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Celebrant It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

The Celebrant adds an additional prayer (Proper Preface) followed by

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

Sanctus S125 (spoken together)

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosanna in the highest.  Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest.  Hosanna in the highest.

The Celebrant continues

Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself; and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and 

eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.  He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.

On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat:  This is my body, which is given for you.  Do this for the remembrance of me.” After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.  Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

Therefore, we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Celebrant and People say together                                                                               

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

The Celebrant continues

We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.  Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.

Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him.  Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ.  By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever.    Amen.

Celebrant:

As our Savior Christ has taught us, we now pray,

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread

The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread as a period of silence is kept.

Alleluia.  Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia

Celebrant: The Gifts of God for the People of God. 

Communion of the People

Wherever you are on your journey of faith you are welcome at this table..

Post Communion Prayer
Prayer Book 365

Celebrant Let us pray.

Celebrant and people

Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.  Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Blessing

Recessional

Dismissal